The Department of Theatre offers work leading to the Master of Fine
Arts (MFA) degree in the following areas of concentration: acting, directing,
lighting design/theatre technology, scenic design, and costume design.
A detailed description of the program may be obtained from the departmental
office.

Admission Requirements

Students applying for admission to the graduate program are expected
to: a) meet the requirements of the School of Graduate Studies, and b)
either audition for or be interviewed by a committee of faculty members
from the Department of Theatre. Undergraduate courses may be prescribed
for individuals who are considered to have insufficient background in
theatre. The Department of Theatre does not require the Graduate Record
Examination.

The course of study in theatre embraces three broad objectives:

To intensively train students desiring to improve knowledge, techniques,
and skills in the areas of acting, directing, design, and theatre technology;

To motivate the students to perfect their knowledge of the theatre
and to guide the students in the development of artistic skills;

With the audience as a teacher, to constantly instruct students in
their effectiveness as theatre artists. The program is based on the
process of applying theoretical knowledge to practical situations and
is designed to be a transition between collegiate training and the professional
theatre.

Degree Requirements

The MFA program requires a minimum of 62 semester hours. Candidates
in acting and directing generally require three academic years to complete
the program with equal emphasis on classwork and practical experience.
Candidates in design can typically complete the program in two academic
years but may take longer depending on the areas being emphasized. An
on-campus summer stock experience is required for all students pursuing
the MFA. All students will be involved in a touring experience.

Application for Candidacy

Each student in the Master of Fine Arts program is regarded as probationary
during the first year of residency. At the conclusion of the first year
of residency, the faculty will evaluate the student's performance and
determine whether or not the student will be admitted to candidate's status.
Until that determination is made, the student is not regarded as a candidate
for the Master of Fine Arts degree in theatre.

MFA Examination

All students in theatre must pass a written examination prior to receiving
the MFA. Procedures for taking the exam are contained in the Theatre Department
Graduate Handbook.

MFA Project

Each graduate student in theatre must present a project in the area of
specialty. The project must be approved by the Department of Theatre before
the MFA can be awarded.

Course Descriptions

409G Playwriting I. (2) Designed to instruct in the
basic principles of the art of playwriting: objectives, development of
obstacles and incidents, characterizations, and climax.

419G Playwriting II. (2) A continuation of Theatre 409G;
students who have achieved a basic level of proficiency in the art of
playwriting are encouraged to further develop their skills. Prerequisite:
THEA 409G or permission of the instructor.

471G Techniques of Musical Theatre Performance. (3)
Designed to explore the specific demands and techniques of musical theatre.
The genre of the American musical will be examined historically and presentationally.
Main focus will be on learning techniques, preparing audition material,
developing a warm-up, and choreography of materials. Prerequisite:
Permission of adviser.

472G Auditions. (2) Designed to prepare the advanced
acting student in the techniques, opportunities, and procedures of auditioning,
interviewing, and constructing résumés for advanced training
or career placement. Prerequisite: Permission of adviser.

473G Acting for the Camera. (3, repeatable to a maximum of 9)
Designed to incorporate skills learned in basic acting classes,
emphasizing situations (in studio and on location) encountered by actors
working in front of the camera. Prerequisite: Permission of adviser.

474G Stage Combat: Armed. (4, repeatable to 8) Designed
to teach safe, effective techniques for various weapons. Weapons could
include broadsword, sword and shield, quarterstaff, rapier and dagger.
Emphasis on acting the story and safety. Prerequisite: Permission
of adviser.

476G Advanced Techniques of Musical Theatre. (3) Continuation
of THEA 471. Further development of singing and acting abilities, enabling
the student to fuse these talents and perform with greater success in
the genre of musical theatre. Prerequisite: At least two acting classes
and voice instruction.

477G Dialects. (3) Training in the dialects most frequently
required in performance. Both American regional and foreign accents will
be studied. Various techniques of acquiring skill will be introduced so
that the individual may develop a personal working method. Prerequisite:
THEA 570.

481G Rehearsal Techniques. (3) The examination and practical
application of techniques for the development of creative rehearsal environments,
effective actor/director communication, and strategies for exploring the
moment to moment dynamics of a scene.

496G Experiments and Topics in Theatre. (1–3, repeatable
to 6) Investigation and exploration of special projects or experiments
which will immerse students in a specific topic, technique, or concept.

497G Musical Theatre History. (3) History of musical
theatre, primarily focusing on American Musical theatre, from its defining
influences and roots to the present. Topics to be covered include significant
productions, composers, lyricists, librettists, choreographers, directors,
designers, and actors. Prerequisite: THEA 470G and/or permission of
instructor.

537 Professional Semester. (1–12 hours, repeatable to 24)
Designed to give graduate students the opportunity and the learning experience
to practice their craft in a professional situation. Students may enroll
in this course only with the approval of the theatre faculty.

540 Visual Concepts for the Stage. (3) An investigation
of communication techniques used between directors and designers for production
concept which influence the process of lighting, set, and costume design.

550 Design for the Theatre. (3–9, repeatable to 36)
A study of scenic, costume and lighting design; their theory and application.
Survey material, studio and lab work in design, rendering, style and concept,
history, construction and execution will be covered. Emphasis on the development
of individualized skills.

570 Advanced Voice Techniques I. (3) Training and experience
in techniques used for an effective voice in performance. Exploration
of the anatomical aspects of voice to gain kinesthetic control and awareness
with the body. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or permission of the
instructor.

571 Advanced Voice Lab. (1, repeatable to 3) Individual
problems of the actor are explored to develop specific vocal skills required
by various genres and styles of dramatic literature. This course may be
repeated with a change in subject matter according to these areas: 571A,
Contemporary Scripts; 571B, Period Scripts; 571C, Comedy Scripts. Prerequisites:
THEA 570 or permission of the instructor.

572 Movement Lab: Warm Up. (1) This process-oriented
course involves developing the actor's physical awareness, flexibility,
ease, and use of self through the Alexander Technique and a daily routine
of physical exercises. Prerequisites: Graduate standing or permission
of the instructor.

573 Physical Characterization. (2) This process-oriented
course involves exploring a physical approach to acting through a study
of the basic elements of movement (space, time, energy, etc.) an understanding
of the mind/body connection, the essence theory of movement, and mask
characterization. Prerequisites: THEA 572 or permission of the instructor.

574 Advanced Movement Lab. (1, repeatable to 3) May
be repeated with a change in subject matter to a total of three credit
hours. This course is designed to provide students with experience in
characterization through movement techniques based on the collective characterization
of the text (i.e. those behavioral characteristics common to the characters
in a play). The course may be repeated in the following areas: 574A, Contemporary;
574B, Period; 575C, Comedy. Prerequisites: THEA 572 or permission
of the instructor.

576 Problems in Acting: Contemporary Text. (2) Designed
to explore the specific problems the actor encounters with modern and
contemporary scripts. Extensive work with improvisations, scenes, and
monologues from American and British playwrights. Prerequisites: THEA
587 or permission of the instructor.

577 Problems in Acting: Period Texts. (2) Designed to
explore the special problems the actor encounters with scripts from various
historical periods. Extensive scene study with emphasis on Shakespeare
and other verse texts. Prerequisites: THEA 587 or permission of the
instructor.

578 Problems in Acting: Comedy Texts. (2) Designed to
explore the special problems the actor encounters with modern and historical
comedic scripts. Extensive work in improvisation, structured scenarios,
and scene study. Prerequisites: THEA 587 or permission of the instructor.

579 Professional Summer Semester. (1–12, repeatable to
12) Practical work in all aspects of production during intensive
eight-week rehearsal and performance of Summer Music Theatre. Auditions
required.

580 Theories of Acting and Directing. (3) The investigation
of prominent acting and directing theories and their practitioners; to
determine their place in theatrical history and their application of contemporary
productions.

582 Pre-Candidacy Directing Practicum. (3, repeatable to 6)
Designed to diagnose and solve problems encountered by the first year
director, with emphasis on establishing and clarifying a personal directing
method. Students will work closely with an adviser in the pre-production
work and rehearsals for a production that will be mounted in the studio.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing.

585 Directing Seminar. (3) Investigation of topics and
issues relating to the various elements of directing such as techniques
in composition, developing tempo-rhythms, approaches to casting, and directorial
ethics. Prerequisites: Acceptance in the directing program.

587 Problems in Acting/Directing: The Score. (3) The
technique and practice of scoring play scripts for actors and directors.
Format will include theory, vocabulary and practical application. Prerequisites:
Graduate standing.

590 Analysis. (3) The course investigates the nature
and structure of dramatic forms, and the characteristics of major styles.
Interpretation will include literary, performance, and production aspects
of the scripts.

602 MFA Project. (4, repeatable to 8 if the student is working
in two approved areas of concentration.) The completion of an
approved Master of Fine Arts project in one of the following areas of
concentration: acting, directing, scene design, costume design, or lighting
design. Enrollment in course permitted only during the academic term when
the project is realized. Prerequisite: Written permission of the academic
adviser.